'Curb cafes' approved for the Village

CARLSBAD  A three-year pilot program that allows downtown restaurants to expand their dining into nearby parking spaces was unanimously approved Tuesday by the Carlsbad City Council.

This is “a new type of outdoor dining in the Village,” city staffer Scott Donnell told the council, adding that it’s used successfully in cities such as Long Beach, San Francisco and New York to invigorate small businesses and boost neighborhood foot traffic.

The policy adopted for Carlsbad set a number of guidelines for what would be known as “curb cafes.”

No more than 11 curb cafes would be permitted in the Village, using no more than two parking spaces per restaurant, and only on streets with slower traffic, Donnell said. Restaurants that choose to participate would pay fees of $100 per month per space to the city to make up for the loss of parking.

The outdoor dining areas would be on deck-like platforms protected from traffic and could be removed if necessary.

Curb café dining is among a number of ideas developed together for the Village area by the city, downtown business people and the Urban Place consulting group. Other efforts under way include better outdoor lighting, improved access for cyclists, diversification of businesses, and a focus on obtaining grants for capital improvements.

One of the first places expected to adopt the expanded outdoor dining is Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant. Owner Belynn Gonzales spoke in favor of the plan at Tuesday’s council meeting.

“This has been one of my visions,” said Gonzales, whose family has operated the Carlsbad restaurant for 50 years. “I’m here to stay.”

Mayor Matt Hall and Councilman Mark Packard abstained from the vote and discussion because they own property in the area.